The training for Navy Seals is extremely tough. For instance, recruits have to stay underwater for 20 minutes. They have a hose to breath from, but they have to deal with regular attacks from instructors who rip their masks off, tie their air hose in knots and generally harrass them. The trick is not to panic but to stay calm, work out the problems and await the next harrasser.
In his blog, psychologist Bakari Akil II talks about how too many good Seal candidates weren’t making it through training because they were panicking, so the Navy taught the Seals four psychological techniques that improved passing rates. Anyone can use them.
Goal Setting:
The recruits were taught to set goals in extremely short chunks. For instance, Akil notes that one former Navy Seal discussed how he set goals such as making it to lunch, then dinner.
Mental Rehearsal:
The seal candidates were taught to visualize themselves succeeding in their activities and going through the motions.
Self Talk
We talk to ourselves in our heads all the time. Akil says that we use say 300 to 1000 words a minutes to ourselves. When recruits worked to make this internal self talk positive they could override their fears.
Arousal Control
The recruits were taught how to use breathing to control strong emotions that arise from primitive parts of the brain.
via How the Navy Seals Increased Passing Rates | Psychology Today.